Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-05
TEE FORMER CONGRESSES.
How an international Congress Came
10 be Held.

TIE EIGHT GREAT GATHERINGS OF DOCTORS THAT
HAVE PRECEDED THE PRESENT coNGREss-THE
MEETINGS OF RECENT YEARS IN LONDON AND
COPENHAGEN.
The International Medical Congress now an In.
stitution OF influence and OF Importance through
out the civilized world, Is an outgrowth OF the
French Medical Congress. AT the third annual
meeting OF the French congress, In Bordeaux, In
1s65, Prof. Henry Gintrac, eminent member OF
that body, proposed that at the approaching Paris
exposition. in 1867, an international medical con-
gress be assembled. The ieea was that such q
congress would bring together large number or
eminent medical scientists, and that IL would add
feature or interest 10 the exposition. The propo-
Sition was Immediately accepted and acted upon.
THEsFIRsT CONGRESS.
Hence, the first International Medical Congress
assembled at Paris during the exposition IA 1867.
IL took the place OF the session OF the French con-
greSs. There were no ceremonies no fetes nor did
the government extend any aid Prot. GlnLrac, In
making the suggestion OF an International con-
gFeSS, nad IN view "A single meeting only con-
Ing the absence OF ali public ceremonies, first
congress was such marked success, and was so
satisfactory 10 the LOO physicians who partlcl-
pated, that DIR. Pantaleonl, OF Italy, eminent
physician as well as prominent POLITICIAN pro-
posed That the sessions De continued IN a regular
series.
OTHER CONGRESSES
The proposal to make the congress an institu-
ton permanent In character was unanimously
adopted, and IN 1869 the second International
Congress was held at Florence. Though the NUM-
Der who attended tie Florence congress was small,
only 3o4, the proceedings were OF Interest. No
government aid WAS extended TO the Florence con-
greSS the third International Congress was held
at Vienna, at the time OF The great exposition
there ia 1S13 and IL was attended by 67l repre-
SentatiyeS OF advanced medical and surgical
thought and skill. The Vienna congress received
no government aid, though the government PROM
ised 10 publish the proceedings at Its expense, q
promise thai was never fulfilled. The fourth In
ternational Congress met ia Brussels In 1870, aud
hau an attendance Oh 4l2. The NTH was held in
Geneva In 1877, where the attendance fell on TO
800. The sixth congress met ln Amsterdam In
lS19 where $50 medical practitioners and scienr
lists Registered as participants.
THE LONDON GATHERING.
The seventh congress was held in London in
1881, and IL was the most brilliant and interesting
OF the entire series. IL was attended by 3lSl
members OF the profession, representing the most
enlightened ana progressive thought and practice
of the civilized world. The corporation OF the
city OF London entertained the members OF the
Medical Congress and the ladies who accompanied
them III lavish style, and The lord mayor gave
them dinner. The proceedings OF that congress
nIed four large volumes Al the London col gress
body together oftener than was convenient Greco
nomicd and IL Was decided that In future the con-
gress would assemble only every three years
AT COPENHAGEN.
The eighth congress and the last preceding the
one which met In this city to-day, was held In
Copenhagen, in 1854, and had an attendance
OF l,3o0. The government OF Denmark gave
$4,000 TO the support OF that congress, and the
city oi Copenhagen entertained the doctors and
their ladies royalty. That was the first congress
that received any direct pecunlary aid from any
government. Though the congress is permanent
IA its nature, there is no permanent membership.
ANY member OF the medical profession, or any
land, In good standing can attend.
AT the London congress, 325 papers on scientific
subjects Were presented aud at Copenhagen 202
such papers We're read. At the Paris session, 5l7
foreigners attended, at Amsterdam there were 300
Iorel gners, at London LOCO and at Copenhagen
1,I50. Al the Amsterdam congress the body was
divided into nine sections, at London Into
sixteen and at Copenhagen into fourteen. At
London the number or hours consumed by the
several sections in their laDors was 2s3 at Copen-
hagen 2SS.